At our recent MODERN SALON Boot Camp in Scottsdale, we sat down with the founder of Harper Ellis Hair Co., Terra Harvell, to talk about the inspiration behind the brand, what makes the Concealed Bead Method™ different, and how the company is redefining the way stylists grow their extension businesses through education, efficiency, and strategy. The following is based off a transcript of our recorded conversation. We also recorded a brief video interview with Harvell.
Terra Harvell is the founder of Harper Ellis Hair Co.
Photo courtesy of Harper Ellis
Q and A with Terra Harvell, Founder of Harper Ellis Hair Co.
Q: What was the tipping point in your own experience with extensions that made you say, “I have to do this myself”?
A: When I was still working behind the chair, I was doing about $750,000 in revenue annually, working just four days a week. One month, I had to replace $30,000 worth of bad-quality hair for my clients—and that was my breaking point. I realized we needed something better. The problem with most extension lines is that they’re not created by stylists. We’re the ones working with the hair, and we know exactly what’s needed in terms of quality and usability. So we went out, found the right manufacturer who would work with us to produce hair the way it should be done—and five years later, Harper Ellis has grown into a $10 million business. And it all started with a focus on quality.
Q: Why was it important to you to pair product development with hands-on training and business support?
A: There are a lot of great education programs out there for extension methods, and that’s a good thing. But we knew that safety for the scalp, long-lasting results, and stylist efficiency had to be part of the conversation. Our Concealed Bead Method is not only secure and gentle—it can be done in 15 minutes. That’s unheard of. If a stylist spends seven hours on a client, they might make more money doing color.
So we teach more than just the method—we teach stylists how to scale their business through extensions. One of my favorite stories is a stylist who made $100,000 more in revenue in just one year after working with us. That’s because we’re giving them real, strategic tools—not just technical skills.
Q: What is the certification process like for the Harper Ellis brand?
A: We have a full program—not just a weekend class. Yes, it includes a two-day in-person experience, but it doesn’t stop there. You get mentorship, coaching, and repetition so you can actually master the technique. We focus on what we call the TTE: timing, technique, and entertainment. Technique is the foundation, but timing matters because speed equals profitability. And entertainment? That’s what keeps clients coming back.
Most stylists finish our certification within three to four months, but by then, they’ve already done hundreds of installs. When they call themselves experts, they’ve earned it. We’re not just handing out certificates—we’re producing career-changing transformations.
Q: What is the Concealed Bead Method™, and what makes it so different from others?
A: The Concealed Bead Method uses the weft as a foundation instead of relying solely on the client’s hair, which is what every other method does. We call it “insurance” because it’s installed in a minimum of three ways, which makes it incredibly secure and reliable.
This came out of my experience with celebrity clients in Nashville. I’m based in Arkansas, and I couldn’t just jump on a plane to fix a bead slip. So we developed something that would last the full six weeks without issues and reduce tension on the scalp—especially important for clients with fine hair like mine. I always say, without extensions, I have “three hairs on my head.” This method protects clients with fragile hair, and it’s engineered for performance.
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